Besides acquiring academic and technical credentials which are industry-specific, development of soft skills is most critical to become a vibrant and effective workforce today. Despite the increase in the number of engineering or management graduates, it is reported that a large number of them are predicted to be ineffective because they lack foundational "soft skills." Employers state that the young people entering the workforce today are woefully lacking in the "soft" or applied skills—such as communication, attitude, teamwork and decision making—that help them to carve success as managers in their chosen area of specialization. Despite the mushrooming institutions, employers across industries decry that job applicants in India lack the basic skills needed to succeed in a job and the new hires are not sure of tasks like writing professional mails or organizing and prioritizing tasks, etc. The prominent characteristics desired among the new hires by the employers today are communication, initiative, sound interpersonal skills, work ethics and excellent teamwork. Interestingly, research also suggests that soft skills like critical thinking, problem solving, professionalism, etc. are not just important for first-time employees alone. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), workplace soft skills are not just desired for the freshers but are also critical for the experienced professionals. Now the question as to how the soft skills can be imparted continues to plague the educators. Soft skills cannot be inculcated in a vacuum nor can they be imparted easily. Rather, such array of skills must be introduced, developed, practiced, reinforced and polished in day-to-day life. The first paper, "Changing Paradigm of Employability Skills in the Global Business World: A Review", by Ashita Bhagra and Dinesh Kumar Sharma, presents a systematic review of perspectives on employability of the youth today. From the past studies, the paper presents profound insights on the ways in which the demand of the industry to develop the desired competencies can be met without losing the emphasis on technical skills.

As India stands at the threshold of digital revolution, it demands sophisticated workforce with cutting-edge skills to create, innovate and execute business solutions. The freshly turned out professional graduates face numerous challenges which test their industry-readiness bundled with technical or domain knowledge along with the soft skills. The paper, "Soft Skills: An Employability Enabler", by Vandana Sharma, makes an attempt to understand graduates' acquaintance with soft skills, their importance, and their impact on building a professional career. It provides the need impetus to find out ways and means to enlarge the soft skills for increasing the employability quotient of graduates.

The paper, "The Science of Persuasion: A Brief Study of Its Theoretical Framework", by Madhulika Panda, is an attempt to present the growing importance of persuasion in the managerial setting. The paper presents some of the techniques and theories which help in mastering the art of persuasion in everyday business.

The hesitation of the valiant Arjuna to fight the Mahabharata war against own brothers gave rise to the ancient scripture the Bhagavad Gita, a profound discourse given by Lord Krishna. Gita offers scintillating ideas and dazzling insights for individual development and acts as a catalyst for personality development. In the paper, "Individual Development in the Light of the Bhagavad Gita", the author, K S Sivakumar, presents how the process of self-development involves the subjugation/sublimation of the physical dimension under the psychological dimension and the subjugation of the psychological dimension under the spiritual dimension. It presents the Bhagavad Gita's perception of personality development, the ethical theory of deontology, desires management, anger management, mind management and emotional stability.

"The opposite of self-assertiveness is self-abnegation—abandoning or submerging your personal values, judgment, and interests. Some people tell themselves this is a virtue. It is a 'virtue' that corrodes self-esteem," says Nathaniel Branden. The paper, "Assertiveness – A Win-Win Approach to Business Communication", by Mitashree Tripathy, highlights the crucial role of communication in everyday life. It emphasizes that the importance of communication is not restricted to family or friends but also has enormous significance in the business world.

A world dominated by technology and innovation demands employees who unleash their creativity at work. This demands a culture which nurtures creativity and encourages risk taking propensity. However, not all organizations provide such opportunities which demand initiative and risk. The paper, "Breaking Paradigms for Creativity and Success", by Revathi Turaga, presents several ideas and insights to create a context for the employees to brainstorm and generate new ideas leading to innovation.

Individual's skills, abilities and attitudes are the most indispensable assets of the organizations. Rachna Sharma's review of the book, Skills for Employability:

A Handbook, presents the invaluable ideas in the book in a succinct and interesting manner.